The planning has worked, the family has arrived, some already left for home after just a few days, but what a wonderful time!  We have done the Adventureland trip, seen the fireworks on the fourth of July, gone shopping and gotten some school cloths (and one Spiderman outfit for our grandson) and visited up a storm on our front porch!

The girls have had a chance to be with their friends and are going shopping with them later today.  It has been nearly perfect!  The only thing that could have made it better is if the two girls and one grandson could have stayed longer, but life calls them back home and their husbands missed them!  The other family is all together here, including our son-in-laws father.  How perfect is that!!

The three remaining guys are leaving today, taking a long way home to AZ by way of South Dakota to see Mount Rushmore and perhaps Crazy Horse memorial.  Since Don has never been there it’s a perfect time to visit and share some memories with his son and grandson.

The remaining girls will be super busy with friends, laying out a quilt, going to auctions, helping grandma with dishes (wow, there are lots of dishes and lots of laundry when the family grows!)  It will be a blast!  They plan on leaving for home later this week.  We will miss them all terribly!

I guess the thing I want to pass on to you is that if you have family, enjoy them, spend time with them and love them til there is nothing left to give.  It’s so grand to be able to share those moments and build those memories, not only for yourself but for your family.  I had that time with my parents and I thank God for it, glad I did since they are no longer here to visit with and share experiences with.  Now it’s time to do it with my children and grandchildren….and I don’t plan to miss out and neither does their "Papa"!